Credentials – ‘Getting By’

Throughout 2018, recognizing the education credentials of new employees and existing employees is to be a ‘hot topic’ for organizations.

The number of professional development course and program offerings available in today’s marketplace is staggering. It is hard to navigate and take control of an industry when the industry is open—allowing individuals to hang a shingle outside either door or virtually online without examination of authenticity or quality assurance.

It is nearly impossible to count the number of online courses being made available and being provided by self-proclaimed Subject Matter Experts (SME). Many of which, are executing learning programs on LMS like LinkedInLearning, Coursera, EdX, Udemy, Udacity, The Khan Academy and others. How do we even begin to authenticate the credentials of thousands of instructors from around the world delivering online courses?

Pew Research has indicated that more employees will be accepting different types of credentials. It reports that younger generations are starting to resist the traditional degree due to increasing cost of formal tuition. Some are avoiding college altogether and are pursuing free or low cost online courses that provide enough education on important skills to ‘get by’.

As companies continue or consider accepting non-traditional credentials, students will be able to avoid debt and study at their own convenience, with the hopes of increasing their job opportunities (Pew Research 2017). However, a question that needs to be asked is, do the non-traditional courses employees are taking enable businesses to grow? If the courses are providing employees with a “get by” level of performance, then should organizations not stop to authenticate the credentials of the programs employees are taking?

Quality assurance should be in the forefront of an employer’s mind when recognizing the credentials of new or existing employees. Employers need to ask and look for the credentials of instructors delivering programs to ensure employees are enrolling in courses that do more than just help them “get by”.

Information to authenticate the credentials and background of instructors who are providing courses online, is paramount. Otherwise, organizations will only be ‘getting by’.

Nancy holds an MBA in Global Leadership and a Diploma in Adult Education. Working in the field of Adult Education for over 25 years, she is dedicated to helping organizations build capacity from within, and insure adult educators receive the professional development they need to be innovative and build success in others. Nancy believes, by investing in workplace education, everyone wins – the company, the people and the communities in which we live.